Victorian farmers have won a battle to enable doggers to bait wild dogs throughout national parks and on Crown land.

The Victorian Farmers Federation has welcomed the State Government’s decision to abandon rules that restricted wild dog control including baiting for wild dogs in national parks and other crown land.

The VFF has long advocated for greater flexibility in wild dog control and the removal of the three kilometre livestock protection buffer, which has limited wild dog control on crown land.

Baiting restrictions eased on national parks

VFF president Peter Tuohey said at it stands, doggers can only bait and trap dogs three kilometres beyond the fence-line into the government’s (crown) land, unless they have a permit from their own department.

“But now the government has committed to remove this requirement, which will allow doggers to go beyond three kilometres, right into parks and other crown land to lay baits for wild dogs.

“It’s a great win for the community as it now gives doggers the ability to track dogs and lay baits where they’re needed, not where bureaucratic rules dictate,” he said.

“Wild dogs don’t just hang around fence lines, they travel vast distances to attack livestock, which means you need the flexibility to lay baits where they’re needed,” Mr Tuohey said.

Aerial baiting now a possibility – Tuohey

The change also opens up the possibility of expanded aerial baiting in future, which is currently limited to the three kilometre livestock protection buffer, the VFF said.

“This is something the VFF has been fighting long and hard for and it would be great to see aerial baiting expanded,” Mr Tuohey said.